We Were There Because of You
The 2008 Disaster Relief Program Annual Review
A Message From the
President and CEO
nors and
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ed
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In 2008, our natio
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fires
one
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15
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U.S. coast.
icans turned
millions of Amer
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of th
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food, support an
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sh
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fo
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to the Red Cro
than 1,400 shelte
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18 million meals
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or
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With your help, th
rv
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Despite the econ
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phenomenal.
d hope to all who
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n continue
lping the Red Cro
those we serve ca
at
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Thank you for he
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s,
ld
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. As 2009 unfo
us build a strong
lp
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us this past year
su
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and your continue
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ro
C
American Red
and sustainable
Gail McGovern
EO
President and C
Cover: A
Red Cross disaster worker surveys flooding from the Cedar
River, which inundated much of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Talia Frenkel/American Red Cross
American Red Cross Disaster Relief
opens shelters for those who have
been displaced and provides meals
and snacks to evacuees and emergency
workers in the affected area. Our nurses
and trained volunteers deliver first
aid and may help replace prescription
medications and eyeglasses or arrange
for emergency medical treatment.
Disaster mental health services workers
provide support for those suffering from
loss and trauma.
The Red Cross also reconnects those
separated in times of disaster. People
living inside an affected area can
Our congressionally-mandated charter—to provide
relief to victims of disaster and help people prevent,
prepare for and respond to emergencies—is a
declaration of responsibility and a promise to the
nation that we will be there when disaster strikes.
Following a disaster, the Red Cross
provides mass care (sheltering and
feeding) services, which are the most
visible and well known of the Red Cross
disaster relief activities. The Red Cross
register on the Red Cross Safe and Well
Web site, a confidential way to let loved
ones know of their well-being. Family
members and concerned others living
outside an affected area can call
2008 Disaster Relief Operations as of March 2009
Disaster Type
Winter storm
Relief
Operations
Red Cross
Workers(a)
Shelters
Overnight
Stays
Meals and
Snacks
Clean-up and
Comfort Kits
2
235
8
950
9,472
392
Flood
23
9,873
152
11,919
963,336
72,367
Tornado
40
6,225
84
5,450
576,716
22,067
7
1,227
39
1,174
113,750
3,044
Hurricane
34
26,080
1,012
497,205
16,557,403
232,357
Wildfire
10
2,644
60
6,009
106,096
4,533
Other events(d)
15
1,944
89
8,989
96,725
2,354
131
48,228
1,444
531,696
18,423,498
337,134
Flood & tornado(b)
(c)
TOTAL(e)
“Red Cross Workers” includes the total number of employees and volunteers assigned to the relief operation.
This is not a combination of floods plus tornadoes. It is a separate category of disaster.
Eight named storms resulted in 34 disaster relief operations. These figures include information from Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gustav, Hanna, Ike,
Lowell and Omar.
(d)
Public events, human-caused or transportation incidents to which we responded.
(e)
These numbers do not include the tens of thousands of disasters to which our local chapters respond daily. Last year, disaster workers at
more than 700 Red Cross chapters across the country responded to more than 70,000 disasters.
(a)
(b)
(c)
1
Talia Frenkel/American Red Cross
Since its founding in 1881, the
American Red Cross has remained
firmly committed to the fundamental
principles of humanity, impartiality,
neutrality, independence, voluntary
service, unity and universality. In the
spirit of our humanitarian mission,
Red Cross disaster relief services
are delivered to individuals and
communities across the nation, free
of charge. Our donors ensure we have
the resources and trained volunteers to
respond when disaster strikes, each and
every day.
Red Cross nurse and volunteer Melissa Schultz hugs
Doloris Faust at a shelter in Martinsville, Ind.
their local chapter for assistance in
determining their loved one’s status.
The Red Cross can quickly mobilize
teams of employees and volunteers to
provide these services. The Disaster
Services Human Resources system, a
roster of trained national volunteers
with emergency expertise, is updated
continuously. Our volunteers include
mass care specialists, nurses, mental
health professionals, logistics specialists
and child care providers, among others.
We strive to maintain a cadre of trained
volunteers to staff each relief operation
with enough workers to accommodate
the needs of those affected.
This report summarizes our relief
efforts following the major disasters to
which we responded in 2008 with the
help of the corporations, organizations,
foundations and individuals who
donated generously to the American
Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.
Your gift allows us to provide our vital
services, and we are grateful for your
support. The Red Cross is always there,
and through your gift, so are you.
Winter Storms
Each disaster to which the Red Cross
responds presents its own unique set of
circumstances, and winter storms can
be especially unpredictable. A January
storm that might necessitate a Red
Cross response typically involves heavy
snow, ice and widespread, prolonged
power outages.
However, unseasonably high
temperatures coupled with heavy rain
can cause rapid snowmelt, resulting
in dangerous flood conditions. Such
conditions prompted two national
disaster responses in 2008, one of
which took place in northwest Indiana
in January.
The immediate challenges of a flood
response can include locating and
placing our trained volunteers, who
themselves may have been directly
affected by the flood, and identifying
new, safe shelters when previously
identified locations stand in harm’s way.
During a flooding response, sheltering
has the greatest impact because it
immediately meets the community’s
needs for a safe place to go to escape
rising floodwaters.
Indiana Storms
In our shelters, evacuees can expect
to find cots, blankets, meals and
comfort kits that contain hygiene items
like toothbrushes and toothpaste—
everything to meet their basic needs
until the water recedes.
A strong storm system developed ahead
of a cold front and moved through
Indiana beginning on January 7, 2008.
The Tippecanoe and Kankakee Rivers
reached record and near-record levels,
volunteers are trying to canvass neighborhoods
“Our
to determine the magnitude of the damage. It’s
absolutely devastating in the affected areas; we have
homes with major damage.
”
—Debra Elsner, Executive Director of the American Red Cross
in Tippecanoe County, Ind.
Mental health counselors are
available to help people cope with the
tremendous emotional upheaval a flood
can cause. The trauma of watching your
home flood, rescuing beloved pets and
cherished keepsakes, locating family
members (if a flash flood happens
during school hours, for example) and
dealing with injuries sustained during
an evacuation can last for many years,
unless it is addressed promptly and
compassionately.
respectively. The water breached a levee
on the Kankakee, flooding agricultural
areas.
anc
t a Gl
a
s
t
c
Fa
e
tions in
r opera rms
e
t
s
a
is
rd
sto
2 majo se to winter
kers
n
o
p
s
ter wor
s
re
a
is
d
s
stays
d Cros
ernight
v
235 Re
o
0
5
h9
ers wit
8 shelt
snacks
ls and
a
e
m
2
9,47
p and
lean-u t kits
392 c
comfor
Disaster Timeline
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
June
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
home fires
hurricanes
winter storms
wildfires
floods
tornadoes
heat wave
2
winter storms
The Red Cross worked closely with the Indiana Department of
Homeland Security, the State Police, the National Guard and others to
monitor statewide flood and weather conditions, gather information,
anticipate needs and carefully plan its response. When the time came,
the Red Cross was ready.
As the floodwaters rose, hundreds of people were forced to abandon
their homes and leave everything behind. Disaster workers welcomed
frightened residents into Red Cross shelters with compassion and care
for their well-being.
When the water receded, the Red Cross provided clean-up kits for
residents returning home. Our disaster workers drove emergency
response vehicles (ERVs) through waterlogged neighborhoods to
distribute meals and provide emotional support. For residents whose
homes were lost to the floodwaters, we offered information about
additional resources to meet their long-term recovery needs.
So many residents of Indiana celebrated the New Year with the highest
of hopes, only to find themselves suddenly reeling from the loss of their
homes and belongings. When they turned to the Red Cross for help, we
were there to meet their immediate needs and to help them plan their
recovery.
Comfort Kits and Clean-Up Kits
Immediately after a disaster, the Red Cross provides these kits to
affected residents to meet their basic hygiene needs and to help
them clean up their homes.
Comfort Kits
Clean-Up Kits
Deodorant
Sectional handle with mop, broom,
squeegee and push broom heads
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Facial tissues
Wash cloth
Shampoo
Liquid soap
Lotion
Comb
Razor
Shaving cream
Pail
Scrub brush
Sponge
Disinfectant
Detergent/degreaser
Bleach
Trash bags
Gloves
Dust mask
3
Merck – Committed to Our
Humanitarian Mission
At Merck, we strive to make a positive
contribution to the communities in which we
work and live by supporting a wide range of
charitable, educational and environmental
initiatives. The focus of Merck’s disaster
relief programs is to provide assistance
during major disasters and to support
efforts in preparedness, preservation and
recovery. Since 1958, The Merck Company
Foundation has supported the work of the
American Red Cross, which responds to
more than 70,000 disasters each year.
“The Merck Company Foundation
recognizes the importance of supporting the
humanitarian mission of the Red Cross. We
are specifically committed to enabling the
Red Cross to respond immediately to the
needs of individuals and families affected by
disaster anywhere across the country,” said
Geralyn Ritter, Vice President, Global Public
Policy and Corporate Responsibility. “Our
commitment to the Annual Disaster Giving
Program helps the Red Cross secure a
reliable funding base and ensures this.”
The Merck Company Foundation has
pledged $1 million over four years to
support the American Red Cross Disaster
Relief Fund and is proud to be an Annual
Disaster Giving Program member. In 2008,
Merck made an additional $250,000
contribution to the Red Cross in response
to its Campaign for Disaster Relief appeal.
These funds specifically helped support the
2008 hurricane relief efforts in the United
States. The Red Cross is grateful to Merck
for their lasting partnership.
Spring Floods and Tornadoes
We followed our response to January’s
winter storms with a lengthy disaster
response that began in earnest in
February and continued throughout the
spring, when the Midwest experienced
devastating flooding and a recordbreaking tornado season.
The same storms that caused flooding
also spawned several major tornado
outbreaks. According to the National
Weather Service, 87 tornadoes occurred
on February 5, causing 57 deaths in the
southeastern part of the country. This
marked the beginning of an unusually
intense tornado season. The severe
weather continued into June, when
two more outbreaks resulted in 289
confirmed tornadoes.
For the spring floods and tornadoes, the
Red Cross mobilized more than 17,000
Talia Frenkel/American Red Cross
Storms and heavy rainfall caused
serious flash flooding in already
saturated areas of the central United
States. Floods are the most frequent and
costliest natural disasters in terms of
human hardship and economic loss.
Red Cross Volunteer Rodney Davis delivers a hot meal from an ERV in Lafayette, Tenn.
the affected states to give evacuees a
place to sleep, get vital information
about available assistance, eat a hot
meal, talk with mental health workers
or meet with health services workers
about their healthcare needs. Our
ERVs were loaded with food, water and
supplies and deployed to the affected
communities.
is with the help of the American public that we are
“Itable
to respond to the disasters in the Midwest, as
well as the disasters that occur every day in local
communities across the country that you may not
hear about. Donations to the American Red Cross
Disaster Relief Fund can help aid in the recovery for
victims of these and other disasters.
”
—Joe Becker, Senior Vice President, Disaster Services
disaster workers to meet the immediate
needs of the displaced residents,
with additional workers standing by
as the flooding continued to spread.
We opened 275 shelters throughout
February 5, 2008
On February 5, a massive line of
tornadoes swept across Alabama,
Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi and
Tennessee, destroying many homes
4
and buildings. The same storm
system that spawned one of the worst
tornado outbreaks in U.S. history also
produced heavy rain in sections of
Illinois, Indiana and Ohio that were
still recovering from flooding caused by
January’s winter storms.
Your gift to the Disaster Relief Fund
ensured that affected residents received
the help they needed to face the
prospect of starting over.
The Red Cross quickly opened shelters
in the affected areas, and disaster
workers in ERVs circulated through
neighborhoods distributing meals
to grateful residents and emergency
workers. We worked with local public
health authorities to meet the basic
needs of our clients by providing first
aid and replacing essential medications.
Red Cross health and mental health
workers provided support to the many
residents struggling to cope with the
devastation surrounding them.
Because dozens of people lost their
lives during the February 5 tornado outbreak, some residents faced
the prospect of starting over without their loved ones. The Red Cross
reached out to those individuals overwhelmed with grief and loss
through its mental health counselors and family service specialists
trained to meet their unique needs.
Safe and Well—Reconnecting Families
When Disaster Strikes
The American Red Cross Welfare Information
Unit maintains the Safe and Well Web site
as part of its mission to promote family
communications planning and preparedness;
facilitate notification from “inside” to “outside”
disaster-affected areas; manage requests
for welfare information and support family
reunification.
As our shelters closed, we continued to work closely with our
partners and local emergency management
officials, offering
ce
comprehensive
lan
G
ta
n d
resources—mental health
sa
t
ns i
c
a
atio oes an
F
r
e
p
support and first aid,
ro
nad
aste ds, tor
rs
s
i
d
cooking and distributing
o
orke
w
ajor e to flo
r
m
ste
70 pons ons
meals—and providing
ght
disa
erni
s
v
s
res binati
o
o
Cr
43
information and referrals for
com
18,5
Red
h
5
t
i
2
additional assistance.
17,3 elters w
sh
nd
275ys
ls a
The spring flooding and
a
e
a
st
2 m cks
tornado season extended well
3,80 sna
5
d
6
,
1
p ans
u
n
t
into June, which heralded
lea
t ki
78 ccomfor
4
,
the beginning of a challenging
7
9
The Safe and Well Web site keeps evacuees
in touch with loved ones who live outside a
disaster-affected area. Evacuees registering on
the site can choose from a menu of pre-scripted
messages, including “family and I are safe and
well” and “currently at shelter.” Relatives can
also register evacuees on their behalf, giving
friends and family the peace of mind of knowing
everyone is safe.
2008 Safe and Well Registrations
hurricane season.
Talia Frenkel/American Red Cross
February/March Tornadoes
March/April Floods
May California Wildfires
May Tornadoes
June/July Midwest Flooding
July California Earthquake
Hurricane Season (June-November)
Carolyn Negley, student and resident assistant at Union University in Jackson, Tenn.,
collected what belongings she could find after her living quarters were almost entirely
destroyed by a tornado. Emergency response vehicle driver Vicki Oczkowicz offers
comfort.
455
654
734
1,208
1,675
463
20,143
When family members contact the Red Cross
with concerns about loved ones inside the
disaster area who suffer from life-threatening
illnesses, the Welfare Information Unit
coordinates the efforts of disaster field teams
and our partners to locate and assist those with
health and mental-health needs. In 2008, the
Welfare Information Unit resolved 278 of these
emergency welfare information requests.
www.safeandwell.org
Also available in Spanish: www.sanoysalvo.org
Also available via RedCross.org
Report: Standing Ready With a Helping Hand: The American Red Cross Response to the Central U.S. Floods and Tornadoes: see the full report on your
gift at work in the central United States on RedCross.org (click on About, then Publications)
5
Summer Hurricanes and Tropical Storms
Before the hurricanes of 2008
threatened communities across the
country, Red Cross chapters reached
out to residents in hurricane-prone
areas with preparedness tips and
worked to improve each community’s
ability to respond to an emergency. We
pre-positioned cots, blankets, comfort
kits and other
relief supplies
to be ready at a
moment’s notice.
Our local partnerships provide great
insight into the needs of a community.
By working together, we can effectively
address the issues of diverse, hard-toreach populations.
Ruby Stevens
The Perry & Ruby Stevens
Charitable Foundation was
established by Ruby Stevens in
January 2006 in accordance with
her late husband Perry’s wishes.
Stevens established the foundation
to help nonprofit organizations
that, among other things, provide
assistance to victims of natural
disasters.
To coordinate the various services
of these partners, the Red Cross and
other agencies
established the
Coordinated
Assistance
Network
(CAN) in 2003.
CAN partners
collaborate to
provide necessary
services to disaster
survivors without
duplicating
efforts. Someone affected by a disaster
can report their needs to any single
participating agency, and if they
elect, the agency will then share
their information among member
organizations to help them obtain
additional services.
On June 1, the Red Cross
marked the beginning of
hurricane season 2008.
It proved to be one of
the most destructive
and costliest hurricane
seasons in U.S. history.
“When disaster strikes, Ruby
knows the American Red Cross
will respond no matter what,” said
Laurie Milton, the foundation’s
Executive Director. “Ruby and her
late husband, Perry, have been big
believers in the Red Cross as early
responders, and they know that
after a disaster, their support can
really help those who need help
the most in a time of crisis.”
Stevens was inspired to give to
the Disaster Relief Fund following
Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. When
she observed their devastating
impact and the Red Cross’s swift
and compassionate response
to meet the resulting needs for
disaster relief, she promptly
donated $50,000 to the fund. In
addition, Stevens gives generously
to the American Red Cross Hill
Country Chapter in Texas.
Gene Dailey/American Red Cross
This hurricane
season, we
mobilized more
than 26,000 Red
Cross workers and
opened more than
1,000 shelters.
We provided an array of services
including sheltering, feeding and
physical and mental health counseling.
Even after the need for emergency
assistance subsided, we worked with
community partners to provide ongoing
support to affected residents.
The Red Cross is truly grateful
to Ruby Stevens and the
individual donors like her whose
contributions to the Disaster Relief
Fund help to relieve suffering when
disaster strikes.
Individuals and families line up before a Red Cross emergency response vehicle for meals and bottled water
in Wallisville, Texas, after Hurricane Ike knocked out power to their neighborhood.
Report: A Sure Presence: The American Red Cross Response to the Hurricanes of 2008: see the full report on your gift at work RedCross.org
(click on About, then Publications)
6
To date, 378 agencies have signed
Participating Agency Agreements with
CAN.
communities in Ike’s path. For the many
diverse communities affected by Ike, we
partnered with the National Council of
La Raza, the National Association for
the Advancement of Colored People,
National Disabilities Rights Network,
Tzu Chi Foundation and United Jewish
Communities, among others.
Hurricane Ike
Talia Frenkel/American Red Cross
While we were still helping those
affected by earlier spring and summer
storms, particularly Hurricane Gustav,
we were preparing for Hurricane Ike’s
Hurricane Ike made landfall on
landfall. According to National Weather
September 13 near Galveston, Texas, as
Service resources, the storm’s projected
a strong Category 2 storm with winds
path indicated landfall along the Florida
of 110 mph. Texas and
Panhandle and Texas coast.
Louisiana bore the brunt
Emergency
ance
l
G
of this dangerous storm.
a
at
officials in those
Fa c t s
Millions of people
ns
areas, with whom
operatio and
r
e
t
s
a
lost electricity, and
r dis
anes
the Red Cross
34 majoonse to hurric
s thousands more were
in resp l storms
was in constant
worker
r
a
e
t
ic
s
p
a
o
evacuated.
tr
ross dis
communication,
Red C
5
0
0
8
2
,
0
,
7
6
9
2
ith 4
urged residents to
Hurricane Ike’s effects
elters w
,012 sh t stays
1
h
prepare without
were widespread.
overnig
and
meals
3
0
4
delay.
In
addition to Texas
,
16,557
snacks
and Louisiana, the Red
p and
When Ike failed to
clean-u t kits
7
5
3
,
Cross opened shelters in
232
comfor
follow the predicted
Indiana, Missouri, Ohio,
path, charting its own
Michigan and Kentucky for
course toward Texas,
evacuees. Trained Red Cross disaster
we quickly relocated disaster workers to
workers from every state responded.
Texas to supplement the 1,500 already
there, and we collaborated with our
After the storm, we remained actively
partners in disaster response to serve the committed to meeting individual and
family needs. We facilitated the search
for long-term housing and located
additional resources available through
the community agencies that partnered
with us.
The 2008 hurricane season will
be remembered as one of the most
destructive and costliest hurricane
seasons in U.S. history. Through it
all, the Red Cross worked tirelessly to
anticipate and meet the needs of those
we serve and to provide safe shelter from
the storms.
Star Ponthieux reaches into a comfort kit in a Red
Cross shelter in Port Allen, La., after Hurricane Gustav.
7
NAJIT – Bridging the
Communications Gap
During Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the
American Red Cross recognized a gap
in the services we provided. Our critical
messages regarding shelter locations
or service centers, for example, were
not understood by all communities
affected by the storm due to language
barriers.
Today, the Red Cross has access to
a team of certified linguists to assist
with relief efforts for the non-English
speaking, deaf, hard-of-hearing and the
limited-English-proficient population.
The Red Cross is proud to partner with
the National Association of Judiciary
Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT),
leveraging the language expertise of its
members, who stand ready to volunteer
and offer their help, either through
on-site or virtual deployment in times of
disaster. NAJIT interpreters help bridge
the linguistic divide that sometimes
separates people from the help they
need. Currently, more than 1,300
NAJIT interpreters and translators
representing 100 languages are on
call for the Red Cross in the event of a
disaster.
This past year, NAJIT assisted the Red
Cross in relief efforts for Hurricanes
Dolly, Gustav and Ike, and Tropical
Storm Edouard. “NAJIT is proud to be a
partner with the Red Cross,” said Isabel
Framer, NAJIT Chair. “We are grateful
to the Red Cross for bringing this
partnership together. Our membership
of professional interpreters is a real
asset for the Red Cross efforts on the
ground during national disasters and,
together, we will be able to better serve
all of our communities.” The Red Cross
couldn’t agree more.
Fall Wildfires
As the hurricane season came to an
end, wildfires spread across parts of
California. In mid-November, gusting
winds and dry conditions fueled several
explosive wildfires that burned out of
control.
As scores of homes burned, residents
from Santa Barbara, Los Angeles,
Orange and Riverside Counties escaped
and found a safe haven with the Red
Cross. Red Cross disaster workers
provided shelter, meals and muchneeded physical and mental health
support. The latter assistance was
particularly welcome to people who
were forced to evacuate with nothing
but the clothes they wore.
The Sayre Fire
The Sayre Fire that tore through Los
Angeles County destroyed hundreds
of units at the Oakridge Mobile Home
Park in Sylmar, a community of elderly
residents living on fixed incomes.
Residents’ immediate physical health
needs included the replacement of
durable medical equipment such as
wheelchairs and walkers for the many
seniors affected by the wildfire. The
residents also benefited from their
contacts with Red Cross mental health
professionals as they mourned the loss
of their homes, the heirlooms passed
down through generations of families
and the friendships they made in their
neighborhood.
Red Cross disaster worker Tracey Kiest
reported from the Sylmar shelter where
many of the evacuated residents were
staying. “I just ran into a gentleman
who was in tears,” she said. “It was the
first time he had been able to see his
house, and there wasn’t anything left.
The coffee pot had melted onto the
stove. He remarked that the birds were
looking for food—he leaves birdseed out
for the birds. He lost four generations
worth of antiques. After he
dried his tears he
said, ‘You
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Gene Dailey/American Red Cross
With our partners, we sheltered and fed
hundreds of evacuees at the height of
the fires. We served thousands of meals
and snacks to evacuees, emergency
responders and residents who visited
our shelters for the latest news of the
fires’ impact on their neighborhoods.
We circulated throughout the affected
neighborhoods in ERVs and distributed
clean-up kits to residents who were
beginning to clean up the damage
the fires caused. We also identified
additional resources to facilitate
recovery.
Red Cross disaster worker Tracey Kiest surveys the remnants of the Oakridge Mobile Home Park, a community that was destroyed by the Sayre Fire, in Sylmar, Calif.
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know what? It’s going to be okay. We’re
going to make it.’”
Fires are unpredictable and move as the
winds shift, but the Red Cross is reliable
even in the most difficult situations.
After the fires were out, we remained
on site to partner with local, state and
federal representatives committed to
the ongoing recovery from the Sayre
Fire.
Daphne Hart/American Red Cross
As we completed our disaster relief
operations in California, we were also
looking ahead to January 2009 to
ensure the necessary supplies will be
available to those who need us now and
those who will surely need us in the
coming months.
Red Cross volunteers Pedro Polidano and Alex Padilla bring clean-up supplies to the residents of a home
that was damaged by wildfires in Yorba Linda, Calif.
Dear Red Cross,
Thank you so much for giving these meals to all of these people. It really means
a lot to everyone. My class and I really appreciate your time. Thank you again!
Yours Fondly,
Sara, age 10
Q&A With Red Cross Volunteer Dana McKinley
Where do you volunteer?
I’m a Disaster Action Team member and a Service to the Armed Forces volunteer for the Key Chapter
in Meridian, Miss. I am also active with our emergency management and homeland security units and
serve on both teams as an American Red Cross representative.
How did you get involved with the Red Cross?
I was a volunteer fireman and saw what a single-family fire really did—how big the disaster is in the clients’ eyes. I myself
was battling some medical problems and really wanted to quit. My family took me to the Red Cross. Two days later it was
September 11 and I started taking the classes and my medical situation improved beyond the doctor’s diagnosis.
How has the Red Cross changed your life?
The Red Cross saved my life! I found that instead of crying on my problems, that folks had bigger problems than I. It was
time to get going; so today I am still going strong and serve with my chapter and my community as a volunteer fireman and
EMS provider. Thank you Red Cross for caring about this volunteer and seeing the true heart that I have. I know that we
have so many with the same heart that I have, and I feel honored to represent all of them.
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Responding Today...
When disaster strikes, the human need
is obvious. People lose their homes,
their possessions and, sometimes, their
loved ones. When the Red Cross arrives
on the scene, we establish shelters,
provide meals, offer first aid, distribute
comfort and clean-up kits and ensure
those who need physical and mental
health support can meet with one of our
trained disaster workers.
Your gift to the Disaster Relief Fund
allows us to maintain our disaster
relief program in a constant state of
readiness.
Convention provides the work force
and the kitchens, and the Red Cross
provides supplies and logistics.
Health and Mental Health
Services
When disaster strikes, there is often no
time to pack bags, refill prescriptions or
collect personal items. Disaster-induced
stress and trauma compound preexisting medical conditions. In these
situations, Red Cross health and mental
health professionals meet individual
needs and provide referrals.
Health Services
Feeding and Sheltering
Gene Dailey/American Red Cross
As soon as the area is safe for entry, the
Red Cross circulates through disasteraffected neighborhoods, identifying
needs and delivering food, supplies and
information to residents planning their
recovery. In most cases, we can provide
nearly a million meals per day within
72 hours, thanks to the hard work of
Red Cross disaster workers and our
partners. Often, the Southern Baptist
Approximately 3,000 medical
professionals, including doctors,
nurses, emergency medical technicians,
pharmacists and other specialists,
volunteer with the Red Cross during
disasters, providing first aid, medical
assessments, triage and other services
to disaster survivors.
An important partnership during times
of a federally declared disaster is our
Emergency Prescription Assistance
Program (EPAP), which allows
pharmacies to provide medications
to those affected by a disaster who do
not have any form of health coverage
for replacing their prescriptions and
essential durable medical equipment.
During Hurricanes Gustav and Ike,
the EPAP filled more than 30,000
medication and durable medical
equipment requests at a cost of nearly
$1.7 million.
Similarly, VSP® Vision Care partners
with the Red Cross to provide
comprehensive eye exams and eyewear
to those who have lost or damaged their
eyeglasses during these events.
As residents started to evacuate Mississippi
ahead of Hurricane Gustav, Red Cross shelters
awaited them.
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Mental Health Services
The Disaster Mental Health Team is
part of our disaster response from
beginning to end. Our team of licensed
mental health professionals includes
counselors, marriage and family
therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists,
social workers and psychiatric nurses.
State Farm–Partners Since
World War II
With a relationship dating back to
World War II, State Farm–through
corporate contributions, agent and
employee matching gift programs and
agents and employees who donate
their time as volunteers and blood
donors–is a long-term partner to
the American Red Cross. Through
this multifaceted partnership, State
Farm is a member of the Annual
Disaster Giving Program, a sponsor
of Red Cross events and a significant
provider of blood donations through
its employee base. State Farm and
the Red Cross have worked together
on a variety of projects throughout the
years.
When disaster strikes, the public turns
to the Red Cross and State Farm.
Whether it is a house fire that leaves
one family homeless or a hurricane
that devastates an entire region, Red
Cross disaster workers and State
Farm agents and employees are an
important presence after a disaster.
We share a vital mission: helping to
pick up the pieces of shattered lives.
State Farm continued its generous
support of the Red Cross again in
2008 with a significant contribution of
$1 million. We appreciate State Farm’s
steadfast commitment to our disaster
relief program.
We offer the following services:
• Triage and assessment
• Crisis intervention
• Client advocacy
• Referring clients to local providers to
support their continuing needs
• Supervising and supporting Red Cross
workers providing psychological first aid
• Monitoring and alleviating
organizational stress
• Providing bereavement support
F.M. Kirby Foundation, Inc.–
Making the Impossible Possible
The F.M. Kirby Foundation, Inc., a family
foundation located in Morristown,
N.J., has supported the American Red
Cross for 19 years, most recently with
a generous gift of $500,000 to the
Disaster Relief Fund. Like the F.M. Kirby
Foundation, the Red Cross believes
that “when people unite in a charitable
cause that is right and good, the
impossible becomes possible.”
Since 1992, the Foundation has
given gifts to the Red Cross totaling
$6,325,000, and in 2007, the F.M. Kirby
Foundation also donated $100,000
toward a bloodmobile for the PennJersey Blood Services Region.
In addition, the F.M. Kirby Foundation
generously supports blood donor
programs and disaster relief and
preparedness at chapters in Morristown
and Summit, N.J., and Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
The F.M. Kirby Foundation’s philosophy
of giving is that “private philanthropy,
at its best, if provided compassionately
and prudently, encourages self-reliance
and diminishes government’s role.
Dedicated grantors and grantees,
working together, tend to ennoble and
enrich our society.”
The Red Cross deeply appreciates the
F.M. Kirby Foundation’s long-standing
support and looks forward to our
continued partnership.
To join this team, health care
professionals volunteer their vacation
time, often at a moment’s notice, to
serve on a disaster relief operation.
Disaster Services Technology
One of the first things to sustain damage
during a disaster is a community’s
infrastructure. Often, cellular services
may be down or overloaded, and power
outages can disrupt other networking
capabilities. The Disaster Services
Technology Team manages Red Cross
technical needs during a disaster,
including voice communications,
data transmissions, computer access,
satellite coverage, cell phones, fax
capabilities and networking. All of these
capabilities include backup systems.
Within the first 24 to 48 hours of an
operation, a technology team and
an initial shipment of supplies are
deployed. Supplies are warehoused
in Austin, Texas, and are transported
overnight by FedEx through a generous
corporate sponsorship. Additional
equipment is shipped as the operation
progresses.
The Red Cross contracts with multiple
partners to ensure continuous cell
phone coverage. At any given time,
the team can switch cellular phones
to ensure they can communicate after
a disaster.
To support the technology team, the
Red Cross currently has a partnership
with Best Buy’s BlueShirt Corps, a
service group that provides tech support
from the company’s Geek Squad Agents
and BlueShirts. We also team with
the American Radio Relay League of
amateur radio operators and numerous
other vendors and partners to ensure
success.
Our ability to act quickly when disaster
strikes is a result of our ongoing
readiness activities. Our services
represent the culmination of a yearround process of strategic planning,
organization and preparation between
the Red Cross and our partners.
...Preparing for Tomorrow
Past large disasters, such as Hurricane
Katrina, have shown us that we must
be willing to prepare for the seemingly
unimaginable. We must be ready to act
when a catastrophic disaster strikes.
Future disasters could be large enough
to require a different approach in the
areas of organizational readiness, community partner collaboration, individual preparedness and sustainability.
Through our chapters and with our
local partners, we will reach deeply and
widely into our communities to close
the gap between the anticipated needs
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within these areas and our ability to
meet those needs.
The very best resource our organization
has when disaster strikes is a strong
local chapter tied into the fabric of its
community, working daily with local
emergency responders. As we build
more resilient communities, the Red
Cross and our partners will gain a
deeper understanding of the needs of
each area. We are committed to keeping our donors and partners informed
about our innovative and vital work in
the months and years ahead.
Your Gift at Work in 2008
Food and Shelter
Emergency Call Centers and Communications
The Red Cross provides regular meals in its shelters as
well as through mobile distribution and additional fixed sites
for affected residents and responders. Through effective
partnerships with government and community organizations,
the Red Cross ensures that shelters meet the needs of
individual communities. COST: $60,298,000
Costs include people and resources used to provide connectivity
infrastructure and critical information, including locations of Red
Cross service sites for shelter, food and distribution of emergency
relief items. COST: $7,333,000
Disaster Systems
Costs include the IT systems to record casework and recruit,
manage and deploy volunteers. COST: $5,590,000
Logistical Support
A disaster relief response requires a vast reserve of resources
and volunteers. Managing these resources requires real
estate, logistical support and vendor agreements that
exceed local capabilities. Associated costs include, but are
not limited to, rented space for shelter facilities, disaster
response headquarters and warehousing, vehicle rental, fleet
management, fuel and other necessities. COST: $24,130,000
Physical and Mental Health Services
Costs may include basic first aid, replacing prescriptions and
emotional support. COST: $1,915,000
Disaster Welfare Information
Costs include the maintenance and operation of the Red
Cross Safe and Well Web site and a toll-free information line.
COST: $148,000
Emergency Assistance to Families
and Individuals
Red Cross client caseworkers meet with individuals affected by
disaster to offer assistance and identify any special needs such
as planning their long-term recovery to ensure that they are safely
accommodated. COST: $20,951,000
Total cost of 2008 disaster services:
Funds donated in 2008:
$161,329,000
$132,625,000
The past year was an extremely active one for disasters. The
American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund paid for more than 130
large-scale relief operations in 2008, including 40 tornadoes, 34
hurricane-related operations, 23 floods and 10 wildfires. Every
year, the Red Cross spends an average of $100 million on its
disaster services program.
Readiness and Partnering
The Red Cross provides planning and preparedness for
disasters. Readiness and capacity development provides a
means to actively build capacity and to evaluate the potential
needs of the community ahead of events. The Red Cross
also focuses on capacity enhancement of relationships with
both government and non-government organizations to
ensure a coordinated, immediate and effective response.
All of these disaster services were paid for by the Disaster
Relief Fund and made possible by the generous support of
corporations, foundations and individuals. However, the cost of
providing this critical disaster relief in 2008 rapidly outpaced
contributions to the Red Cross, depleting our Disaster Relief
Fund. In September 2008, the Red Cross launched the
Campaign for Disaster Relief to raise $100 million for the
Disaster Relief Fund. As of May 2009, we have raised more
than $91 million.
COST: $15,358,000
Fundraising Costs/Management
and General
The Red Cross manages a large number of contributions
from philanthropic donors who help meet the costs of relief
operations. These costs include essential services in support
of the Red Cross disaster relief effort, such as finance and
accounting, legal and auditing fees and public information
outreach. These contributions enable the Red Cross to
respond to disasters and to fulfill our mission.
Expenses (in thousands)
Food and Shelter
37%—$60,298
COST: $14,520,000
Logistical Support 15%—$24,130
Disaster Operations Management
Emergency Assistance to Families and Individuals 13%—$20,951
The Red Cross has a team of people who coordinate the
response to national disasters by deploying human and
material resources for disaster response. They also provide
guidance and support on a 24/7 basis to disaster relief
operations and chapters and share critical information with
partners in government and voluntary disaster relief agencies.
Readiness and Partnering 10%—$15,358
Fudraising Costs/Management and General 9%—$14,520
Disaster Operations Management 7%—$11,087
Emergency Call Centers and Communications 5%—$7,333
COST: $11,087,000
Disaster Systems 3%—$5,590
Physical and Mental Health Services 1%—$1,915
Disaster Welfare Information <1%—$148
Note: All figures, although accurate, are unaudited.
0
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10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
Thank You
We can never be certain what the
future will bring, but two things
always hold true: first, we must be
prepared for the worst; second, we
know we will be ready with the help
Daniel Cima/American Red Cross
of our partners—the corporations,
foundations, individuals and
organizations who join with us every
year to provide disaster relief.
The Red Cross is engaged in some type
of disaster relief operation 24 hours a
day, 365 days a year, and your gift to
the Disaster Relief Fund allows us to
provide our vital life-saving services.
From January through December
2008, we responded to 131 large-scale
disasters. We helped the survivors of
the worst flooding in the central United
States in 15 years, a record number of
tornadoes, an active hurricane season
and late fall wildfires.
In April 2007, a fire destroyed the Martinez family’s home. The Red Cross provided them with food,
clothing and emergency assistance to help them get back on their feet. In September 2008, the
Red Cross provided the Martinez family with shelter from Tropical Storm Hanna. Here, thirteenyear-old Teresa Martinez smiles at a Red Cross disaster worker in the shelter where her family
found refuge.
our Disaster Online Newsroom, or at
People who turn to the Red Cross in
your favorite networking site such as
their darkest hour know they can rely
Flickr, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube,
on that trusted symbol of disaster relief
LinkedIn and SocialVibe.
to see them through. Fulfilling our
Your gift to the American Red Cross
Disaster Relief Fund made our
humanitarian mission is only possible
with the support of partners like you.
response possible. By supporting the
Red Cross, you ensure that we can put
in place disaster supplies, vehicles,
facilities and workers. We ensure the
To learn more, please visit us at
availability of our resources 24 hours a
RedCross.org, where you can find
day, every day.
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Thank you for
your belief in the
American Red Cross.